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The Turbulent 13th Century
a supplement to Ua Ruairc of Bréifne
The 13th century was a turbulent time in Ó Ruairc history. Following the death of the powerful Breifne king Tighernán mór Ó Ruairc in 1172 at the hands of new arrivals (i.e. the Cambro-Normans, Galls, English), the kingdom of Breifne was subject to a new political dynamic. Foreign encroachment into the Irish midlands, into Ulster, and eventually into Connacht eroded many of the the old kingdoms. Alliances between the foreigners and the Irish shifted the balance of the Gaelic lords, and a new system of land grants and service to a foreign king was introduced to the island.
There were three significant lines of the Ó Ruaircs who struggled to salvage the old Breifne kingdom over the course of the 13th century. The first Ó Ruairc line of note was that Cathal liath, a descendant of Donnchadh Ó Ruairc, a line closely related to that of Tighernán mór. The other two notable lines descended from those of Domnall Ó Ruairc, a first cousin of the latter Donnchadh, and the last of the Ó Ruaircs to be referred to as a king of Connacht. The two lines of Domnall were those of his sons Donnchad Gilla Bruide and Ferghal Ó Ruairc. The three Ó Ruairc lines are reflected in the following chart of the lords of Breifne, drawn from the early genealogies and supplemented with information from the Irish Annals (including ending year of reign as king).
Domnall (1102, King of Connacht) Donnchad
_|____________________________ _______________________________|________
| | | | |
Fergal (1157) Donnchad Gilla Bruide (1125) Tighernán mór (1172) Aedh (1123?) Niall
_|______________ _|_ _|_ _|_
| | | | |
Amlaíb Domnall (1207) Aedh (1176) Máelsechlann Cathal liath
(1184) _|__ _|_ _|_ _|___________________
| | | | |
Art (1210) Donnchadh óg Aedh (1187) Ualgarg (1231) Domnall mhatail
________|________ _|____ ____________|_ _|_
| | | | | |
Amlaíb (1258) Art bec Cathal riabach (1236) Sitric (1257) Aedh Tighernán na corradh
_|_____________ (1260) _|___________ _|_ _|_
| | | | |
Conchobar Domnall Art (1275) Tighernán (1274) Conchobar (1257)
buidhe (1273) carrach (1311) |__________ _|_
_______________|____________ | |
| | Amlaíb (1307) Domnall (1259)
Ualgarg mór (1346) Flaithbhertach (1352)
At the turn of the 13th century Ualgarg son of Cathal liath Ó Ruairc held sway as Breifne king. During his relatively long tenure his main Ó Ruairc rivals included Domnall son of Ferghal as well as Domnall's son Art. In the year 1207 Domnall son of Ferghal was described at his death as lord of a greater part of Breifne. About a year following Domnall's death, Ualgarg Ó Ruairc was dethroned through the influence of the English and Art, son of Domnall, was made king in his stead. Art would last only about a year before he was slain by Cormac, son of Art O'Maelsechlainn, and Ualgarg Ó Ruairc again assumed the lordship as his successor.
Ualgarg Ó Ruairc (son of Cathal liath) would reign, albeit contested, until his death in 1231. During Ualgarg's reign there was continued infighting among the Ó Ruaircs as well as battles with neighbors and the new foreigners. In 1220 Aedh son of Domnall Ó Ruairc was battling against Magauran and MacClancy, and in 1226 he was slain by the O'Reillys and O'Mulronys. In 1228, Art and Amlaib, two sons of Art son of Domnall Ó Ruairc slew one of their kinsmen, Niall son of Congalach Ó Ruairc. Niall was king of Dartry and Clann Fermaighe (northern co. Leitrim) at the time, his father Congalach Ó Ruairc was a brother of Domnall son of Ferghal. For additional information see Dartry and Clann Fermaighe. Also in 1228 Art and Amlaib, sons of Art, slew their kinsmen Amlaib son of Niall son of Congalach, as well as Ferghal son of Sitric son of Congalach Ó Ruairc.
Following Ualgarg Ó Ruairc's death in 1231 the next king of Breifne to be noted was Cathal riabach mac Gillabroide Ó Ruairc, who is described in the genealogies as a grandson of Donnchad Gilla Bruide Ó Ruairc. Cathal riabach's death occured in 1236, the same year that Diarmait son of Niall Ó Ruairc had been blinded by the O'Reillys. A couple of years after these events, Muirchertach son of Niall son of Congalach Ó Ruairc (of the Clann Fermaighe line) was slain by O'Reilly after he in turn had slain the son of O'Reilly.
After Cathal riabach Ó Ruairc's death in 1236, the Annals are unclear as to his immediate successor. At some point Conchobar son of Tigernan Ó Ruairc, a likely descendant of Cathal liath, was named king. In 1248 the annals mention the death of one of Cathal riabach's sons Amlaib at hands of Conchobar Carrach Mac Donnchada. In 1250 Conchobar son of Tigernan Ó Ruairc was an ally of Fedlimid (son of Cathal Crobhderg) O'Conor in a bid to regain Fedlimid's kingdom. In 1251 Art son of Art Ó Ruairc slew Flaithbhertach O'Cerbhaill, chieftain of Callraighe.
In 1256 Conchobar son of Tigernan Ó Ruairc, king of Brefne, was again noted in alliance with Fedlimid O'Conor, and with his son Aedh O'Conor, in battles against the English and the O'Reillys. Art son of Art Ó Ruairc also participated in the events of 1256. Even though many O'Reillys were slain, the events of 1256 are believed to have been the timeframe the O'Reillys rested control of the eastern portion of the ancient Breifne kingdom (later to become part of the county of Cavan).
After the route of the O'Reillys in 1256, Conchobar son of Tigernan Ó Ruairc was briefly at war with Fedlimid O'Conor, and his son Aedh O'Conor. The annals suggest that Conchobar then made a separate peace with the Foreigners (English) without permission of O'Conor or his son. After a raid by O'Conor in 1257, Conchobar Ó Ruairc made a tenuous peace and offered him the Stone-castle of Cherry Island on Loch Finvoy (Garadice) Loch in Breifne. When Conchobar son of Tigernan Ó Ruairc burned this castle in the same year Fedlimid O'Conor stepped in and elected Sitric son of Ualgarg Ó Ruairc chief of his tribe. Sitric was another descendant of Cathal liath but was soon killed by Conchobar's son Domnall. Domnall son of Conchobar Ó Ruairc was quickly taken prisoner by O'Conor for this act.
Very soon following these strange series of events, in 1257, Conchobar son of Tigernan Ó Ruairc was slain by the O'Reillys. In 1258 Fedlimid O'Conor, and his son Aedh, again stepped in and gave the lordship of Breifne to Domnall son of Conchobar son of Tigernan Ó Ruairc. However, within a few months Domnall was in trouble himself. He slew Magrath Mac Tiernan, chief of Teallach-Dunchadha, and his title was stripped from him. At the same time the Teallach-Dunchadha slew Domnall's brother Cathal.
After this the lordship of Breifne, from the mountain eastwards, went to Art son of Cathal riabach O Ruairc. In the same year, 1258, the annals note the death of Amlaib son of Art (son of Domnall) O Ruairc, king of Breifne from the mountain westwards, indicating a division in the kingdom of Breifne Ó Ruairc. The mountain in this case was Sliab an Iarainn in the center of modern Co. Leitrim. Amlaib was an important figure in O'Ruairc history, the patriarch of all later Breifne kings beginning in the 14th century. For additional information see The line of Amlaib Ó Ruairc.
In 1259 Aedh O'Conor gave the place of Amlaib son of Art Ó Ruairc to his apparent brother Art Bec son of Art Ó Ruairc, and Aedh O'Conor made a prisoner of Art son of Cathal riabach Ó Ruairc. The genealogies indicate that Art son of Cathal riabach was descended from Donnchad Gilla Bruide Ó Ruairc, while Amlaib and Art bec, sons of Art, were descended from Donncahd Gilla Bruide's brother Ferghal. The third line of the Ó Ruaircs, that of Cathal liath, was however not through yet. In another strange turn of events in 1259 Aedh O'Conor made peace with Domnall son of Conchobar son of Tigernan Ó Ruairc and the kingship of Breifne was given back to him.
In 1260 Domnall son of Niall son of Congalach O Ruairc (of the Clann Fermaighe line) was also trying to draw favor from Aedh O'Conor. In that year he delivered up to Aedh two sons of Amlaib son of Art O'Ruairc, Lochlainn and Tigernan, who were promptly slain by Aedh. Likely as a result of this act Maelsechlainn son of Amlaib son of Art O'Ruairc killed Tadhg Dub son of Niall son of Congalach O'Ruairc in the same year.
In 1260 Domnall, son of Conchobhar son of Tighernan O'Ruairc was noted as king of Breifne at his death by the Teallach-Dunchadha. Following this event Aedh O'Conor was again at the center of O'Ruairc affairs which resulted in the deaths of Domnall's brother Muirchertach, as well as the slaying of Art Bec son of Art O'Ruairce whom Aedh had favored the year before.
In 1261 Art son of Cathal riabach O'Ruairc escaped from Aedh O'Conor and the chieftains of Breifne and Conmaicne made him king of Breifne. Art would serve until 1266 when Aedh O'Conor went into Breifne to depose him. Aedh O'Conor then gave the kingship to Conchobar Buide son of Amlaib son of Art O'Ruairc.
In 1271 Maelsechlainn son of Art? O'Ruairc, and the Clann Fermaige, was involved in the slaying of Conchobar son of Tigernan O'Conor. In 1273 the reigning O'Ruairc lord Conchobar Buide was killed by the sons of Conchobar son of Tigernan O'Conor, Conchobar Buide having killed one of O'Conors sons Tighernan in the battle.
In 1274 Tighernan, son of Aedh O'Ruairc was called king of Breifne at his death. This Tighernan was a descendant of Cathal liath, the last of his line to be noted as king. For additional information on this line see The mysterious Cathal liath. Also in 1274 Maelsechlainn son of Amlaib son of Art O'Ruairc (of Domnall's line), a king of Dartraighe and Clann-Fermhaighe at the time, was slain at Cill-Forga by Conchobar son of Domnall son of Niall O'Ruairc (of the Clann Fermaighe line), who was himself made king (of that region) afterwards. The year 1274 also saw the obituary of Domnall Og son of Amlaib son of Art O Ruairc.
In 1275 Art son of Cathal Riabach O'Ruairc was again noted as a king of Brefne. In that year he was killed in battle against Mag Finnbairr and the Muinter Geradain and the Galls at Granard, i.e. the Conmaicne contingent in modern co. Longford. In 1276 Domnall son of Niall son of Conghalach O'Ruairc (who was called 'Gillie of the butter', or 'Butter Lad'), in league with Ruaidri son of Toirrdelbach O'Conor, was killed by Ua Nechtain.
The next Breifne king to be noted was Amlaib son of Art son of Cathal riabach O'Ruairc who appears to have served a long reign as chief, his death occuring in the year 1307. For additional information on Amlaib's line, see The lineage of Cathal riabach.
The following list of Ó Ruairc lords has been created from the information above, as well as pedigrees in the early Irish genealogies:
* Ualgarg Ó Ruairc, king of Breifne: 1196-1209, 1210-1231 - son of Cathal liath son of Aedh son of Donnchadh (Donnchad's line)
* Domnall Ó Ruairc, lord of greater part of Breifne: c.1207 - son of Ferghal mac Domnall son of Fergal (Domnall's line, Fergal)
* Art Ó Ruairc, king of Bréifne: 1209-1210 - son of Domnall son of Fergal son of Domnall (Domnall's line, Fergal)
* Ualgarg Ó Ruairc, king of Breifne: 1196-1209, 1210-1231 - son of Cathal liath son of Aedh son of Donnchadh (Donnchad's line)
* Cathal riabach O'Ruairc, king of Bréifne: 1231-1236 - son of Donnchadh son of Aedh (Domnall's line, Gilla Bruide)
* Conchobar O'Ruairc, king of Bréifne: 1250?-1257 - son of Tigernán son of Domnall son of Cathal liath (Donnchad's line)
* Sitric O'Ruairc, king of Bréifne: elected and killed 1257-1257 - son of Ualgarg son of Cathal liath (Donnchad's line)
* Amlaíb O'Ruairc, king of Breifne: 1257-1258 - son of Art son of Domnall son of Fergal (Domnall's line, Fergal)
* Domnall O'Ruairc, king of Breifne: 1258 to 1258 (deposed) - son of Conchobar son of Tigernán (Donnchad's line)
* Art O'Ruairc, king of Breifne: 1258-1259 (deposed) - son of Cathal riabach son of Donnchadh (Domnall's line, Gilla Bruide)
* Domnall O'Ruairc, king of Breifne: 1259 to 1259 (killed) - son of Conchobar son of Tigernán (Donnchad's line)
* Art bec O'Ruairc, king of Breifne: 1259-1260 (killed) - son of Art son of Domnall son of Fergal (Domnall's line, Fergal)
* Art O'Ruairc, king of Breifne: 1261-1266 (deposed)- son of Cathal riabach son of Donnchadh (Domnall's line, Gilla Bruide)
* Conchobar buide O'Ruairc, king of Breifne: 1266-1273 - son of Amlaíb son of Art (Domnall's line, Fergal)
* Tigernán O'Ruairc, king of Breifne: 1273-1274 - son of Aedh son of Ualgarg son of Cathal liath (Donnchad's line)
* Art O'Ruairc, king of Breifne: 1275-1275 - son of Cathal riabach son of Donnchadh (Domnall's line, Gilla Bruide)
* Amlaib O'Ruairc, king of Breifne: c.1275-1307 - son of Art son of Cathal riabach (Domnall's line, Gilla Bruide)
For continued discussion see The line of Amlaib Ó Ruairc (died 1258), as well as The progeny of Ualgharg mór (died 1346).
Also see Ua Ruairc of Bréifne -- Genealogy Sources -- Lords and Kings of Bréifne -- Chart of O Ruarc Kings
"Early Reference in the Annals", written by Dennis Walsh, July 2006, all rights reserved.
Sources used for this article include the Irish Annals, and the 'middle' Irish genealogies (e.g. O'Clery).
